Radio detection of the tidal disruption event AT2023cvb

ATel #16055; Adelle J. Goodwin (ICRAR - Curtin), James C. A. Miller-Jones (ICRAR - Curtin), Kate D. Alexander (Arizona), Collin T. Christy (Arizona), on behalf of a larger collaboration
on 26 May 2023; 02:54 UT
Credential Certification: Adelle Goodwin (adelle.goodwin@curtin.edu.au)

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We report the radio detection of the tidal disruption event (TDE) AT2023cvb taken as part of our VLA Large Program dedicated to TDEs. AT2023cvb was first discovered on 2023 March 06 by ATLAS as an optical flare from the host galaxy WISEA J191425.67+414009.4 (TNS Astronomical Transient Report No. 171906). It was later classified by Yao et al as a TDE with the optical spectrum showing a blue continuum and broad hydrogen emission lines at a redshift of z=0.071 (TNS Classification Report No. 14806, AstroNote 2023-102).

We observed AT2023cvb with NSF’s Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), on 2023 May 05 and 2023 May 12 at Ku-band (12-18 GHz). The data were reduced in CASA using standard procedures. We detected radio emission consistent with the optical position, with 13.5 GHz flux densities of 673+/9 uJy (May 5) and 878+/-9uJy (May 12). Additionally, the coordinates of the host galaxy were observed by the VLA Sky Survey on 2023 Feb 13 and there was no detection of the source with a 3 GHz 3 sigma upper limit of <465uJy. The lack of an archival radio detection of the host galaxy and the evolution of the radio emission between the two VLA observations 1 week apart confirm the transient nature of this radio source. Further radio observations to constrain the broadband spectrum have been scheduled with the VLA. We encourage additional multi-wavelength follow up of this interesting transient.

Our VLA Large Program (20B-377) began in December 2020 and will continue through 2023. We target new publicly-reported TDEs discovered at z < 0.1, to determine the prevalence of radio emission in TDEs. We report new results from this program to the community via ATels, TNS AstroNotes, and on our program website (https://www.as.arizona.edu/radiotdes). For collaboration, or to suggest new targets, please contact the program PI (Kate Alexander, kdalexander@arizona.edu) or one of the program co-Is.